Waldo victims organize their own insurance assistance
Waldo victims organize their own insurance assistance

Colorado Springs Together was envisioned as a clearinghouse for Waldo Canyon Fire victims, a place to turn to for their every need. Except, apparently, insurance advocacy. “What we’ve tried to do is kind of keep a distance, avoid getting in the middle of the policyholder-insurance…
Larimer County’s next Roadmap to Recovery to address social and emotional aspects of High Park Fire’s one-year anniversary
Larimer County’s next Roadmap to Recovery to address social and emotional aspects of High Park Fire’s one-year anniversary

Larimer County’s seventh Roadmap to Recovery meeting for High Park and Woodland Heights Fire survivors will cover topics including legal issues, expiration of ALE benefits and the social and emotional aspects of the fire’s one-year anniversary. Speakers are Karen Reimus, disaster recovery aid for United…
Many claims from Waldo Canyon fire still aren’t finalized
Many claims from Waldo Canyon fire still aren’t finalized

About 11 months after the Waldo Canyon fire destroyed 347 homes and damaged dozens of others, many homeowners had not completed a list of the items they lost. They were pushing a one-year insurance claim deadline that the Legislature decided to keep intact when it…
New consumer protections may not apply to fire victims
New consumer protections may not apply to fire victims

As Black Forest families who lost homes in the fire begin filing out insurance claims, they should know that state law has changed to protect them. House Bill 1225, which was signed into law last month, requires insurance companies offer policies that pay for living…
Last year’s fire victims offer a shoulder at disaster recovery center
Last year’s fire victims offer a shoulder at disaster recovery center

When Suzanne and Breck Swanson turned on the television on Wednesday, they watched their retirement home on Vessey Road explode in flames. With it went Suzanne’s sense of control, and all ideas of what to do next. But the next day at the El Paso…
United Policyholders to Hold Post Waldo Canyon Fire Insurance Meeting
United Policyholders to Hold Post Waldo Canyon Fire Insurance Meeting

El Paso County will host United Policyholders as it presents a “A Roadmap to Recovery: Workshop for Waldo Canyon Fire Survivors. The meeting is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23, at Centennial Hall Auditorium, 200 S. Cascade. Topics of the workshop include…
Fire report’s release stirs residents’ emotions, memories
Fire report’s release stirs residents’ emotions, memories

Residents of northwest Colorado Springs had a mix of reactions last week to the city’s review of the fire, often focusing on issues and emotions that continue to sometimes overwhelm them. Their memories of the June fire are vivid: many choke with gratitude when they…
High Park Fire Insurance Payouts a Slap in the Face
High Park Fire Insurance Payouts a Slap in the Face

Wildfire victims say insufficient policies and unrealistic deadlines are impeding rebuilding efforts.Homeowner insurance protection: What would it do?• Expand the time allowed to submit an inventory of destroyed property to an insurer.• Require insurers to award claims for a percentage of destroyed property without submissoin…
Rebuilding—if you don’t know, ask
Rebuilding—if you don’t know, ask

In 2011, a consumer advocacy group, United Policyholders, reported that at least 75 percent of the homeowners affected by the 2007 wildfires in San Bernardino and Riverside counties were underinsured by nearly a quarter of a million dollars. This amazing reality came after the catastrophic…
Can mortgage lenders hold your insurance money hostage?
Can mortgage lenders hold your insurance money hostage?

If your home has been seriously damaged or destroyed, your insurance company will release a check made out to both you and your mortgage lender to pay for the necessary repairs. “Lenders have a substantial investment in the property, sometimes more than the homeowner, especially…
Consumer Reports Rates Home Insurers
Consumer Reports Rates Home Insurers

Homeowners buy insurance to protect against disaster. But when disaster strikes, your insurer might not live up to your expectations, especially if you have a large claim, according to our survey of 11,250 subscribers who filed claims in the past few years. The greater the…
Enough’ Insurance is Often Not Enough
Enough’ Insurance is Often Not Enough

In the past few weeks, the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history claimed two lives, burned nearly 30 square miles and totally destroyed more than 350 homes. Like almost all homeowners everywhere in the United States, nearly everyone who lost their house to this massive…
Larimer County Holds Free Workshop for Fire Survivors on Insurance, Rebuilding & Recovery
Larimer County Holds Free Workshop for Fire Survivors on Insurance, Rebuilding & Recovery

Larimer County will hold a public update meeting for High Park and Woodland Heights Fire survivors on Thursday, August 2 beginning at 6:30p.m. in the Hearing Room, 1st floor, Larimer County Courthouse Offices Building, 200 West Oak Street, Fort Collins for information on how to…
Family: State Farm Forced Us Into Tent, Onto Food Stamps
Family: State Farm Forced Us Into Tent, Onto Food Stamps

Members of a Boulder County family whose home was damaged by smoke during the Four Mile fire say they’re now living in a tent because their insurance company stopped paying for repairs and stopped paying their temporary rent. Linda Tarr and her husband David Doherty…
More public meetings for fire survivors
More public meetings for fire survivors

The recovery process for survivors of the High Park Fire, their homes and land continues. Several workshops are planned to assist in the process. A Colorado State Forest Workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, July 11, at 6:30 p.m. at Cache La Poudre Middle School, 3515…
Estes Park fire victims learn of help and insurance
Estes Park fire victims learn of help and insurance

Estes Park town administrator Frank Lancaster told victims of the Woodland Heights fire that swept through the High Drive neighborhood June 23, turning 23 homes to soot and dust, that many organizations are available to help them. The burned-out residents attended an informational evening last…
After the disaster: Uninsured homeowners have little to fall back on
After the disaster: Uninsured homeowners have little to fall back on

The images of the tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes and wildfires of 2011 remain seared in our memories. You might live in one of the areas battered by weather tragedies. Or you might have frantically checked on friends and relatives who were affected by natural disasters.…
The Toll of the Tea Fire: Three years later, community struggles to rebuild
The Toll of the Tea Fire: Three years later, community struggles to rebuild

On November 13, 2008, a firestorm roared across the flanks of the Santa Ynez Mountains and changed many lives in Montecito forever. Lance and Carla Hoffman were enjoying an afternoon together when the fire, still in its infancy, suddenly flared up and over a hillside.…